April 5, 2004

North Dakota Needs More Technical Service Providers

Technical Service Providers (TSPs) are desperately needed to meet the increased workload facing the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), according to George Maher, North Dakota State University Extension Service TSP program coordinator. “The need is a result of landowner requests for technical assistance to participate in conservation programs provided in the 2002 Farm Bill.”

"I can see where we will have a very strong need for Technical Service Providers in North Dakota,” says Tom Coleman, assistant state conservationist. “There is more work to be done in the conservation of North Dakota's natural resources than NRCS can handle for this and future years. North Dakota definitely needs more TSPs."

The Technical Service Provider (TSP) Program was initiated in the 1996 Farm Bill and expanded by the 2000 Farm Bill. The 2002 Farm Bill authorized USDA to use Technical Service Providers to provide technical assistance on behalf of USDA. Technical assistance includes conservation planning and design, layout, installation and checkout of approved conservation practices. NRCS will reimburse a program participant (landowner) if the owner selects a TSP from an approved list and the technical services provided meet all legal and program requirements.

To help individuals who are considering work as a Technical Service Provider in North Dakota, NRCS and NDSU Extension will be presenting an orientation workshop on April 14. The workshop will be delivered over the Interactive Video Network to five sites in North Dakota:

Loftsgard Hall,
Room 260, on the NDSU Campus, Fargo

Burleigh County Extension Office,
3715 East Bismarck Expressway, Bismarck

Dickinson Research Extension Center,
1133 State Avenue, Dickinson

Renville County Extension Office,
Courthouse, 205 Main Street East, Mohall

Walsh County Extension Office,
638 Cooper Avenue, Grafton

The workshop begins at 10 a.m. central daylight time and ends at 4 p.m., with a one hour break at noon. All of the sites are connected by interactive video programming, allowing comments and questions to be shared with everyone attending. There is no charge to attend the orientation workshop.

Presenters include North Dakota NRCS and NDSU Extension Service professionals.

Topics include:

• The role of the NDSU Extension Service in the Technical Service Provider program
  
• Technical Service Provider policies
  
• NRCS Electronic Field Office Technical Guide
  
• Identifying & documenting environmental concerns
  
• Tools for planning and designing practices such as erosion predictions, nutrient management and engineering tools
  
• Progress reporting of procedures for payment/not to exceed rates
  
• USDA cost-share programs
  
• Activities requiring professional soil classifier license
  
• Ongoing professional development opportunities

Anyone who is considering work as a Technical Service Provider should plan on attending this workshop.

For additional information, contact Maher at (701) 231-8288 or Mark Anderson, North Dakota NRCS, at (701) 530-2039.

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Source: George Maher, (701) 231-8288, george.maher@ndsu.nodak.edu
Editor: Rich Mattern, (701) 231-6136, richard.mattern@ndsu.nodak.edu

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